A controversy in a New England town, more than 200 miles away has touched a nerve in the Village of Montgomery.

“This, I think, is very, very important in this village.,” said Village Trustee Mike Hembury. “I think that this village should pass a rule right away that no other flag, other than the American flag and the POW flag, should be flown on a village-owned property.”

Hembury urged the village board to immediately pass such a law.

“Massachusetts is having this problem right now with other flags being flown. Maybe putting the law, I think we should have a little right to have nothing other than the American flag and the POW flag should be flown on a village property.”

The controversy is in the town of North Andover, Massachusetts, where the town approved raising a Palestinian flag on the town common. It flies below the American flag and the POW-MIA flag.

“It’s happening right now,” Hembury said. “The people are going crazy up there in Massachusetts. It slipped through.”

Hembury’s proposal would preemptively ban any groups from asking the village to fly their flag. The Town of Marlborough, for example, flies a Pride flag under the American flag at town hall during the month of June, which is designated as Pride Month.

Some trustees felt it wasn’t necessary, since the village already controls village-owned property, and the law would not apply to private property.

“We cannot adopt a local law (tonight),” Village Attorney Will Frank said. “The board cannot adopt a local law the same night it’s proposed without a public hearing.”

Hembury pressed on.

“All right, can we do something to just stop?” he asked.

“Mike, it’s not an argument,” Mayor Steve Brescia responded. “It’s a procedural point.”

Eventually it was agreed that the board could pass a resolution, banning any flags from village-owned property, other than the flags of the United States, the State of New York, or the POW-MIA flag.

The resolution passed unanimously.